This invention relates to snow and ice control compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions which are noncorrosive and do not cause degradation of roads and bridge decks or damage to roadside plants, when employed for controlling the buildup of snow and ice during winter weather.
For many years, salts, such as sodium chloride and calcium chloride, have been used for preventing the buildup of ice and snow on roads and for controlling or eliminating slippery road conditions. Other materials which have similarly been used include magnesium chloride and alkaline metal salts of iron cyanide, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,234. In addition, various surfactant-type materials have been used as antifreezing additives. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,493. It has also been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,331 to coat sand with calcium chloride and to use the resulting material for "treating ice covered roads during winter to produce improved traction". However, nearly all of the prior art systems are deficient in that most water soluble salt materials are extremely corrosive to metals which come in contact with them. For this reason, as the use of salt on highways has increased, automobile and truck body corrosion problems have also increased. In addition, bridge decking corrosion has increased markedly where salts are used as snow and ice control materials.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to prepare compositions which may be used for aiding in the melting of snow and ice.
It is another object of this invention to prepare compositions which may readily be spread from a tractor spreader.
It is another object of this invention to provide snow and ice removal compositions which do not have a significant corrosive effects on metals, plants or other materials to which they are exposed during use. In particular, it is desired that compositions be prepared which do not significantly increase the surface deterioration of highways or bridges and also do not unduly contribute to automobile or truck body corrosion problems.
These and other objectives are obtained by preparing the compositions of the instant invention.